Together with more than sixty community colleges from around the nation, North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) held a National CTE Letter of Intent Signing Day at 10:00 am on Thursday, February 21, 2019. New and prospective CTE students for the 2019-20 school year took part in a signing ceremony, similar to an athletic signing, in the Muse Norris Conference Center on the NIACC campus.

This national event, sponsored by the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), mirrors the NCAA’s National Signing Day for athletes who commit to play sports in college. It is designed to honor students who are entering a technical or agricultural field and to celebrate the dignity of the work.

Over sixty community colleges across the country hosted signing day ceremonies tied together by live, nationwide simulcasts. The event was live-streamed on NIACC’s YouTube channel.

“We are excited to be hosting CTE Signing Day, an event designed to raise the profile of the opportunities in career and technical fields,” said Steve Schulz, NIACC President. “We believe this is the first event of its kind in Iowa.”

Local business leaders including Sukup Manufacturing Co, Harrison Truck Centers, and TruStile Doors participated along with NIACC’s corporate partners NC3, Snap-on, and Greenlee to show their support for technical education. Students and family members had opportunities to interact with potential future employers and learn more about high-demand jobs in these dynamic industries.